Courage and knowledge
by SilverInk.IvoryQuill
Summary: When a tough HYDRA code requires a specialist, Alexandra Edvardson is recruited by Coulson to join his team for a while. Proving herself a valuable asset and an even better friend, she soon finds her place among the agents. In time she even manages to melt May's heart. But what happens when Terrigenesis not only affects Skye but also Alexanda? What will she become?
1. Chapter 1: Manic Monday

**Hey guys,  
welcome to "Courage and Knowledge".**  
 **This Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. fanfiction is starting during Season 2 Episode 9.  
As I am adding an OC, I am altering the storyline but I will stick to the plot as closely as possible.  
Reviews are always appreaciated, I could really need some feedback or constructive criticism, especially on this first chapter.**

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 **Chapter 1: Manic monday**

"Those HYDRA bastards!", Skye murmured under her breath.

She had been trying to crack this bloody code for the last three days and still had no clue how to do it. All her programms were currently searching for something, anything that could help her, but there was simply nothing.

"Is it working?", Mack asked concerned.

"Do I look like it would?", Skye shot back, totally annoyed, "this is not just a simple hack, this is pure confusion. It feels as if there must be a system behind it, a pattern of some kind, but I can't quite grasp it. It's kinda like a language. But I am lacking vocabulary and grammar, so nothing makes sense. Also I can't contact other members of the Rising Tide, we don't know what kind of information HYDRA is covering up in their messages."

Mack nodded slowly.

"You should go and talk to Coulson. Maybe he has an idea or something in his Tool Box that could help us."

With that, he left to join Fitz who was training his "bad hand" by installing knew features on the holo desk. A bit reluctantly, the young woman went back to her task, but it still made no more sense than before. Skye didn't like it when things were that messed up. Nothing wrong with a bit of a challenge, but preferably not when you were busy trying to safe the world! So after a while, she started the way to her bosses office. Before she could knock however, there were voices to be heard from the inside.

"May, I know you try to avoid it and I assure you, I don't like talking about it either" - "Then don't do it!", Skye could hear the other woman hiss.

Her voice sounded commanding, but also very strained.

"Don't make me think about it, it keeps me from sleeping at night!"

Something had shifted in her voice, May was almost begging. Melinda May begging? That was something new. And it was scary. Because whatever the reason for this behaviour, it must be bad. Skye would have given a lot to be able to listen to more of this conversation, but in this moment, her nose started itching. Not good - only seconds later she had to sneeze. The echo was loud between the brick walls, no chance of disguising her presence. With a click, the door in front of her opened, May standing in the doorway, frowning.

"How long have you been standing here?", she asked sternly.

"I've just arrived", Skye lied quickly, "wanted to ask the director something about that HYDRA signal. Why? Was there anything classified I could have overheard? Then I should have arrived sooner!"

Apparently her joke was good enough to cover up her uneasiness, because the older agent stepped aside and let her enter. Coulson looked at the hacker curiously.

"So, have you found anything useful?", he wanted to know.

"I am afraid no Sir", Skye admitted, slightly ducking her head, "the coding is incredibly complex. Sometimes I have the feeling as if I finally understand the system, and then there are those bits coming up screwing all my theories over again! My usual hacking tools don't work either, in short, I have no clue what to do."

It wasn't everyday that the young computer specialist admitted a failure and the others knew that. In an instant, their facial expressions went from hopeful to deadly serious.

Suddenly, Coulson's face lit up. It might not be the best idea ever, but it was an option and better than doing nothing and being left further and further behind by HYDRA.

"Alright, I might have an idea! You said the coding was so complex, so maybe we don't need a hacker here but a codecracker, a cryptographer. I'll look up all possibly capable agents and advisers and brief you in about 30 minutes. May, please get the team together by then."

The Asian woman nodded and left, Skye on her heels. Coulson stayed behind just to open the Tool Box and scan through various files, clearly dimissing one after the other. With each passing file, his face became grimmer until in the end he went back to the start. Inside his head, two voices were arguing. One was telling him that this was definitely not a good idea, that he should leave her out of this, not getting her involved in all this mess. But the other voice, the desperate one, reminding him of their current situation, grew stronger and stronger. Finally, he sighed deeply and searched for a special file, secured by quite an amount of passwords, codes and PINS. He nodded to himself, trying to convince his own heart and mind that this was the right decision. After a minute, he picked up his phone and dialed a number he knew by heart. The phone rang three times until somebody picked up.

"Hill", a woman said, curtly as always.

"Hello, it's Phil. Maria, I need your opinion."

30 minutes later, all members of the team were assembled, including the patched up Trip. Waiting for their director, they only talked in lowered voices, intimidated by an extraordinarily icy looking May. When Coulson arrived, everyone could see that there would not be good news.

"We have a big problem", he started right away, "Skye can't hack the HYDRA Code and all our very few former cryptographers within S.H.I.E.L.D. turned out to be HYDRA."

For a moment, there was silence in the room. Skye's stomach cleched, it was her fault, she should be decrypting the sgnal, but she had failed!

"Then what about taking in someone from the outside?", Lance asked, "if we need a specialist and don't have one ourselves then".

"We can't do this!", Bobbi objected, "it is too risky. We can't trust anyone, besides -"

"Yeah of course you are against my ideas Bobbi, you always are!", Hunter shot back.

A warning glare from May however silenced him in an instant. That woman was radiating something intense that day, a mixture between pain and fury, keeping everyone on edge.

"Unfortunately Hunter and Morse are both right", the director continued, "we need a specialist but it is a great risk. I did some research and I think I found someone who would fit and keep the risk as low as possible."

He tapped on the table, bringing up a picture.

"But that is still a girl!", Agent Morse exclaimed what everyone thought.

"Actually she is already 20", Coulson explained while scrolling through the file. "Her name is Alexandra Sophia Edvardson, Swedish, already has an Oxford degree in mathematics. Besides, she is an excellent cryptographer and even publishes articles about it and she has worked for Stark and is friends with one of our agents."

Silence followed, all the agents either too stunned or too uneasy to speak.

"What did she do for Stark?", Mack asked then, clearly impressed but also suspicious.

"Develloped a supertrouper algorithm or something of that kind, Hill could not exactly tell me. She just said that woman is extremely clever and one shouldn't underestimate her despite her girlish appearance."

Skye's brain was racing, that just sounded too good to be true.

"So were is the catch? Is she a psycho? Or at least difficult to work with? Because I mean, if she really is as good as we hope she is, why didn't S.H.I.E.L.D. recruit her before? Like they did with FitzSimmons?"

"That's the thing", Coulson answered, "Edvardson actually met a Jessica North during her time as an international student in New Zealand. North is now a S.H.I.E.L.D. cadet, still at the academy when S.H.I.E.L.D. fell. Specialist for field research and undercover operations. Alexandra's file states that North had suggested Edvardson as an asset, Agent Hand approached her afterwards, that was two years ago. She just blankly refused, said she felt honoured but it just wasn't her thing. After she had worked for Stark, S.H.I.E.L.D. tried again, that time Commander Hill herself made the call. The girl refused again, but not as briskly as she did with Hand. God knows, Hill was just a bit more diplomatic I guess. So all considered, we have a young genius with no known ties to HYDRA who probably has no intention on helping us. I'd say we check her out and if she fits, try to bring her in. May, you'll be leading the operation. We need Skye to come with you, someone Edvardson will be able to relate to. And as third member of the party - Hunter. My gut feeling tells me they'll need you. You're going to fly to Munich right away. Any questions?"

"Coulson, do you want to know her we are S.H.I.E.L.D.?", May asked.

Everyone looked at their director expectandly.

"Scrutinize her first. If she is trustworthy, let her know who she is dealing with."

"And what if she is not?" "Then don't blow your cover but let her be!"


	2. Chapter 2: On the road again

**Back for chapter 2!**  
 **Reviews are still appreciated. Also, if someone liked to beta this story, let me know!**

 **Disclaimer: I only own my OC, not AoS.**

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 **Chapter 2: On the road again**

Two hours, some broken equipment and a lot of curses later, the small team was on their way. While May behaved as quiet and composed as usual, Skye was nervous, chewing on her fingernails. She couldn't help but feel responsible for the risk they were taking, the time they were loosing. If she could just encrypt -

"Ehm, question", Hunter suddenly began, "or rather, questions. Why is a Swedish Oxford graduate living in Munich? And does anyone of you speak German? Or Swedish for the matter? I don't by the way."

"Negative", Skye replied, "I think Coulson does speak German though. Not helping us right now, but still."

May rolled her eyes. "He doesn't speak German but Dutch. It is related but not the same. I know some German. At least enough for our job. She speaks English anyway, no worries. Now buckle up, we're going down!"

As soon as everyone was seated, Agent May brought down their small plane to land on what looked like a small abandoned airport in the middle of nowhere.

"What is this? Looks kinda very creepy here", Skye remarked.

Her SO just shrugged. "Used to be a HYDRA facility in World War 2. S.H.I.E.L.D. destroyed most of it, only the runway and a few small hangars remain. Good for avoiding trouble and paperwork at the airport. Especially now as we are labled a terrorist organisation. Now get out and to the left shed over there while I park the plane!"

When Skye stepped out on the landingstrip, she realized once again how far she had come. The poor girl who had lived in a van and sometimes had barely been able to cope was now overseas, taking steps in another country. Such a travel would have seemed impossible a few months ago. Everything was changing so quickly that it sometimes took her breath away. But that was something she had accepted when she had joined S.H.I.E.L.D. For a moment the young woman worried how they could convince Edvardson to help them. Considering all that had happened to her since the day she met Coulson, Skye started to wonder if they had any right to convince her at all. That lady had already refused to join the agency twice, she must be quite firm in her decision. But to find out about her intentions, they had to get to her first. In the shed May had pointed out before they found gear, amunition and a shiny grey SUV.

"Not black?", Lance remarked, pointing out the obvious as usual, "that's something new and so inspiring!"

"Yeah, especially because grey is such a colourfull shade", the younger agent deadpanned.

Behind the two, May just huffed and gestured them to get into the car.

"Now, what we know is that Alexandra has just come back from Oxford and is staying at her father's house in Munich. His name is Björn Edvardson, he was born in Stockholm as well as his daughter, but now he is professor for Ancient history at the University of Munich. He had never been married to our asset's mother whose name is given as Adriana Averadopoulos, Greek, but disappeared shortly after the girl was born. Well, disappeared is relative, she left and was never heard of again. Apparently Edvardson didn't look for her either. Father and daughter lived in Stockholm where he worked as a private dozent and author and earned heaps of money. She entered primary school early and soon swapped to a German elite boarding school. She started showing lots of mathematical talent. Went to New Zealand on a school exchange. In year ten Alexandra temporarily dropped out to go to Rome with her father where he worked on a project, of course she also went to school there and had exceptionally good grades. Then she came back, went to boarding school again and graduated as year's best. After that, straight to Oxford. In the same year she also participated in the Maths World Championship Finals and started publishing about coding."

"That is very...academic", Hunter remarked, "what do we know about relationships? She sounds quite like a nerd!"

"Well, she seems to be socializing just right, keeps in contact with people from all continents via Facebook and Skype, even has a Twitter account", Skye answered, glad to be able to contribute more," but there are five people she seems to be closest with. Paul Sonnenweg, a guy she went to boarding school with and who happens to also live in Munich and Mila Wang, another girl from her neighbourhood. Then there is Francesca DiLago from Rome, Travis Herald from Oxford and Jessica North. I tried to contact North but the New Zealand unit has gone dark, no communication possible. Last thing I've heard is she was sent to Canada on a mission. The other friends aren't genii like she is, Herald is a troublemaker who always got away, don't ask me how. Wang has no record at all, Sonnenweg has quite a reputation in sports and DiLago is just gorgeous. But I could find nothing about Edvardson's romantic relationships."

Lance looked at her bemused. "She is 20 and no relationships? That exists? Or is she a secret nun?"

"Yes Hunter, people can live without having sex any other day. Maybe should try that out instead of hooking up with Morse again!"

Skye couldn't quite surpress a giggle when she saw the other agent's expression: Pure shock.

"I wasn't - okay maybe I was but it was definitely worth it! Also May, are you actually allowed to drive that fast?"

The woman in question grinned evily. "No speed restrictions on German highways."

Suddenly she pulled over, letting a not-buckled-up Hunter crash into Skye. Curses could be heard from the backseats but Melinda just smiled to herself. Someone had to teach those kids a lesson.

After about an hour, they stopped in a fancy neighbourhood, in the evening light the white walls and silver fences were sparkling, making everything look like out of a movie.

Lance whistled:"Looks nice: Perfect life. Dream come true. Which house it is?"

The younger agent looked at her laptop.

"It's in the next street on the corner. Google Street View tells me that there is a small whole at the back of the hedge. One could maybe pass through there to avoid sensors in the front of the house. As I have hacked her Facebook Messenger too, we know that Paul will pick up Alexandra at 8 and they will meet some friends at a club called 'The Blackbox'. So what's the plan?"

She looked at May who didn't waste any time to answer.

"As soon as she is gone, I go checking on the house, I'll see if I can find anything remarkable or suspicious. Skye, you're on coms, Hunter, you are going to check her out. Shouldn't be to hard for you."

"And how am I supposed to get there? We have only one car, remember?", the man asked with a crooked eyebrow.

"I am sure you will find a nice Ferrari to crack", May remarked dryly, "or are you rather into Porsche?"

"Nah, good old British Aston Martin", Hunter snapped while changing into something more fashionable and flashy.

"Sad thing Bobbi can not see you like that", Skye remarked, "I am sure she'd be impressed. Or, if I think about it, she'd probably rather like you with nothing on at all."

Lance shot her a glare while he and the older woman got out of the SUV, both heading into different directions. A few minutes later, an engine was started in the distance. Skye smiled to herself, apparently he had hotwired a car. Not that she had doubted his abilities in the first place.


	3. Chapter 3: I'm not that innocent

**Chapter number 3 is out now!  
Please let me know what you think about it!**

 **Disclaimer: I still only own my OC.**

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 **Chapter 3: I'm not that innocent**

May walked down the streets, pretending she belonged there, even greeting some neighbours. It was nearly 8 now, their asset should be going out soon. After reaching the hedge at the back, the agent started to look for the hole Skye had mentioned earlier. There it was, barely to be seen in the twilight. Why someone with such a perfect house let it be was a mystery to May, but she sure as hell wouldn't complain. Without a glance above her shoulder, she squeezed through – and froze.

Her trained eye had noticed the sensors right away, one wrong move and the alarm would go off. Slowly, she made her way through the garden, all the time staying in the shadows of the hedge. Suddenly there was the sound of breaking branches and a head appeared in the hole, followed by a body. It was a man, handsome and athletically built and it was clear that he wasn't there for the first time: He knew exactly where he could set his feet. But instead of keeping to the hedge, he ducked and ran through half of the garden before seeking cover next to a little shed. From there he scooted closer to the house until he got something out of his pocket and threw. May watched with amazement when the object hit one of the upper windows with precision, totally on the frame so it wouldn't damage the glass. Against the light behind the window, a shadow moved. A few seconds later, it was pushed open and a person leaned out.

"Cinderella, Cinderella, lass dein Haar herunter!", the intruder called out softly. As a response, there was a woman's laugh. "Du hättest mich auch einfach anrufen können. Ich darf mittlerweile legal raus, weißt du?" The obviously quite young man shrugged his shoulders. „Macht der Gewohnheit!" Then he motioned for her to come. "Xandra, spring!" She disappeared again, the lights went off and the woman came back to the window. At first, she dropped a clutch and some shoes that were caught by the man. After that, she swiftly climbed on the window seat. Witout hesitation she pushed herself off and landed on the edge of the garage roof further to the right. From there, she let down a rope and slid down on it, all completely without a sound. The agent was reminded of her own escapes in the cover of the night, both at home and later at S.H.I.E.L.D. academy. It had been a bit dangerous but also absolutely thrilling. Together, the couple made their way through the garden, gracefully like gangsters on the run.

As soon as they had disappeared, May headed towards the main mansion, updating Hunter and Skye at the same time. "Alexandra doesn't seem to be that innocent at all. Just climbed out of her window on the first floor and outsmarted a high-end alarm system as if it was nothing. I'm going in now." With that, the agent started to climb up the rope the woman had left there before and from the garage roof to the window. Once inside, she closed the curtains and pulled out a torch. "That girl's a real scientist, Simmons-style", she remarked, "books about algebra, codes and stuff I have never heard of on the shelves and a huge blackboard with formulas on it. I send you a photo. Everything here is nice and girly and totally in order. On the wall posters of exhibitions and some personal photos. The only strange thing is a sword and a rapier hanging over her desk. I'll copy the hard drive of the laptop, but she appears to be rather oldfashioned, there are tons of notebooks here." The agent went on scrutinizing the room and suddenly even the normally rather cold agent had to chuckle. "May, what's up?", Hunter asked curiously. "Just found out that this Baby-Einstein also has her guilty pleasures. '50 Shades of Grey' is hidden in second row behind some dictionaries." "I'll keep that in mind", Lance murmured, loud enough for Skye to respond with an indignant growl.

The only man in the small team was now parking in front of 'The Blackbox' and entered. Inside it was loud and full, so he made his way to the bar. With a beer in his hand, he scanned the crowd for Edvardson. "Target is coming in", he reported after a while, "together with a guy and three girls and hey, I am straight but that man is damn hot. I think at least 50% of the women here are already thinking about ways to get him into bed." The group was dropping their jackets into a booth before heading to the dancefloor straight afterwards. When they passed Hunter, he shot a quick photo and sent it to Skye. It would be interesting to know who they were, judging by the looks they got they definitely belonged to the cool kids. Lance had never really liked this kind of people. They had always made him feel stupid and insignificant, especially the women. "The guy is her friend Paul", Skye replied right away. "Doesn't look like friendzone to me though if you'd see the way they are dancing." "So what?", May retorted, "that didn't stop you from doing your job in the past. Don't start with it now!"

May carefully opened the door that connected the bedroom with the hallway and listened, keeping as still as possible. Apparently, nobody was at home, everything was quiet. When she sneaked down the stairs, she could see the lounge in front of her. With only her torch to provide her with light she walked around to the spacious living room. Designer furniture joined expensive carpets and some historical artefacts, it actually looked quite like Coulson had described Stark-Tower to her. She would love to see that building from inside one day, but she hadn't been high enough in S.H.I.E.L.D. to do so yet. Nevertheless, she had shaken hands with Alexander Pierce, that counted for something, she told herself. Even though that prick had turned out to be one of the heads of HYDRA. A shame.  
One wall close to the entrance was plastered with certificates and pictures of Alexandra at her graduations from school and university and one of her in front of Stark Enterprises. The agent briefly stood and wondered what that must have been like, watching their own child grow up and become such a remarkable scientist. What struck her trained eye as odd was that all off those photos looked so professional and somehow unpersonal, as if one had put them there just for show. With a few tools, she unlocked Mr. Edvardson's office. After a quick look around she decided there was nothing suspicious to be found and turned back, leaving no traces. "I'm getting out again", she reported, "heading to meet you Skye."

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 **And another one done!  
In the next chapter, we'll hear Alexandra talk to Lance for the first time, öet's see how that goes (wrong)! ;)  
**

Translations:  
Cinderella, Cinderella, lass dein Haar herunter! - Cinderella, Cinderella, let down your hair!  
Du hättest mich auch einfach anrufen können. Ich darf mittlerweile legal raus, weißt du? - You could have simply called. I am allowed to go out legally now, you know?  
Macht der Gewohnheit! - Old habits die hard!  
Xandra spring!- Xandra jump!


	4. Chapter 4: Call me maybe

**Yeyy, chapter 4!**  
 **Thank you all for reading, following and favouriting, it means so much to me!**  
 **Please let me know what you think!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel's AoS, just my OC.**

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 **Chapter 4: Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy – but here's my number, so call me maybe!**

Meanwhile, Hunter was still closely observing Alexandra, trying to make it look like a casual cheeking out. May was right, he was experienced in that, though he if he was honest, he couldn't say if that was only a good thing: Most of his flirts and one-night-stands had been a result of a fight or a break-up with Bobbi. Whatever he did, he would probably never get over that woman. She had his heart. Yes, she would hurt it, brake it, crush it, but in the end, she would still not give back the pieces. Hopefully, this time he would be the one to keep her. He didn't care if with or without a ring on her finger, just her.

At one point, Edvardson shot him a glance over her shoulder, smiling and raising an eyebrow. No doubt had she noticed his interest in her. Two dances later, she whispered something in Paul's ear and patted him on the arm. Then, without hesitation, the woman walked straight towards Lance, pinning him down with a look out of her blue eyes. The colour was so clear and striking that one would notice it even behind her glasses in this dimm light. "Target approaching", was the only thing he could mutter into his microphone before she was already standing in front of him. "Hey", she said, grinning mischievously, "hast du mich oder meinen Freund die ganze Zeit angestarrt?" "Uhm, hi, unfortunately I don't speak German", the agent replied. It was probably not the cleverest thing to say but it was the truth. Alexandra laughed: "No worries, I just wanted to know at whom you have been staring: Me or the friend I was dancing with?" One could hear the years of expensive education and studying in Oxford in her very melodic voice, her English was as natural and British as Jemma's or Lance's. "Who would I have a chance with?", Hunter gave back a question. It was answered immediately: "No chance with Paul, sorry to disappoint you, he isn't free and I know neither he nor his partner are into threesomes, sorry." She didn't even attempt to fake pity but went on with a sparkle in her eyes. "But you can buy me a drink and I'll think about it." "Awesome idea. What would you like?", he asked, pulling out a chair for her. "Sex on the beach", she replied, sounding totally innocent. "Wouldn't we all like that?" Hunter could literally hear Skye facepalm herself at the other end of the line. But well, this was his kind of humour, maybe it would work here as well. "To sandy for my taste", Edvardson shrugged, keeping her face absolutely blank. "That was smooth", Skye remarked in the background, definitely approving. "By the way, what's your name?", the woman in front of Lance asked, "I'm Xandra."

The barkeeper just served her the drink when the agent answered: "I'm Lance, sorry I didn't introduce myself earlier. I guess I left my good manners in the US. Xandra, is that short for Alexandra?" She nodded. "Alexandra is so long and Xandra is just a bit more inspiring than Alex or Lexa I reckon." The man nodded thoughtfully. "Inspiring, just as you are." "Do you know how often people tell me that?", was the simple reply. It was hard to say whether she was being serious or ironic. "Get her to talk about special interests, job or family", May ordered via earpiece. But before he could ask any question, Alexandra already started: "So what is an Englishman like you doing here?" "I'm in Munich on business and I didn't know what to do tonight, so I figured I should try out this club." Technically, it was only half a lie, he told himself. Even though he had worked as a mercenary for a long time and had lied so often he had lost track, he somehow felt bad about not telling her the truth. Lance couldn't quite say what it was, but there was something about her that made him like her straight away and want to protect her. Weird. But he couldn't afford pondering to long, he had to do his job!

Xandra leaned forward, bringing her face closer to him. He followed her move, successfully keeping himself from looking down her dress. White and coloured lights were illuminating their faces, a moment still as a photo, both just looking at each other in silence. Under different circumstances, he might have been in danger of falling for her, Lance realized. She was pretty, cheeky, and witty, exactly what he liked. Even her hair colour... blonde was just so his type. He never had thought of glasses as especially attractive, but that girl just nailed it with her Guccis. Xandra's head was tilted slightly to the left when suddenly a mysterious smile spread over her face. "I'd have an idea what we could do tonight…" "No Hunter, you are NOT screwing that girl for information", May protested right away. He pretended not to be bothered though. "And that would be?", he asked the woman with a cocky smile. He was really interested in what she would offer him. Would he sleep with her? Probably not, given the current situation and how things with Morse were developing. He wouldn't risk that. Not for a bloddy code! "You could tell me who you are working for and who is on the other side of that nice little earpiece you are wearing. And maybe, just maybe, I will tell you what you'd like to know."

Skye and May looked at each other dumbstruck. They'd never imagined thas could happen, that their asset could suspect something. Or that anyone would notice Lance's little earpiece. "Play dumb", May ordered curtly. "Uhm sorry sweetheart, but I have not a bloody clue what you are talking about. What are those earpieces anyway?" As far as he could see in the disco lights, Alexandra was rolling her eyes. "Lance, your deception skills and charme might work on an average woman, but I'd like to think that I am not average. And I do know what a super-hightech earpiece looks like. So again, who are you working for? MI6? FBI? CIA? Or somebody from the private sector? I'd guess S.H.I.E.L.D. or even HYDRA - but wait, no, they are all crumbled down, never to rise again. So that cannot be." Just for a moment something flickered over Hunter's face, a mixture between anger and amusement. Ordinary people wouldn't have noticed anything, but as Edvardson had said, she was far from ordinary. "Okay, so either S.H.I.E.L.D. or HYDRA it is", she stated matter of factly, just as if those things happened to her on a daily basis. Somewhere on the other side of Munich, two agents sighed in unisono. "Hunter get her in. But I want to talk to her before I make the final decision", May barked through comms. The British shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "S.H.I.E.L.D. Sweetheart, and my boss would like to talk to you. No trust in my negotiation skills..." "I thought it from the beginning on", she smirked, "that you are S.H.I,E.L.D., not the thing about your skills. And I am happy to meet your boss. But I also have a life, I'd like to do this on, let's say, unsuspicious terms. So no nightly kidnapping or sudden disappearing. But I am free tomorrrow, what about meeting at Dalmayers for tea?" "That girl has style", Skye murmured, "but when is damn teatime?" "What kind of tea would you propose? High tea? Or later?", Lance asked, while Skye mouthed "British" at her SO. "4 o'clock would be suitable", Xandra replied, "I'd give you my number but I guess you already have it anyway. So what are you going to do now? Staying or leaving?" "Drinking?", he offered, smiling flirtily. "If you are paying Lance."

It wasn't surprising that a woman like her knew how to do smalltalk, but it was surprising how good she was at interrogating. Behind each question he could feel a thought, a plan, she was asking nothing just for the sake of it. He didn't give her any relevant information though and she kept digging charmingly. In return, she only told him things he already knew because of Skye's research. It was like a game, but not a frustrating one as anybody would have thought, no, it was a funny, a pleasant little game. A civilian would have just seen two people talking and smiling to each other while drinking more and more Scotch. After their fourth round of drinks and some really annoying vocal harassment by his team, Hunter declared it was time for him to go and stood up. But before he could move away, Alexandra grapped him by his arm. Her playful expression became deadly serious as she looked at him. "You are not taking the car, okay? Get a cab, but don't drive!" In her determined, hard voice, Lance could hear something else, even in his slightly intoxiated state: Fear. "No worries Sweatheart, I've got a ride", he said, meaning it. The others would pick him up, he wouldn't drive around with a stolen car more than he had to. Even though this Astin Martin was beautiful... "Alright", she said, letting go of him, "see you... maybe." When Hunter made his way to the exit, he walked past Paul who gave him a funny look. "Is that the point where you tell me not to screw it? Or her?", the agent wanted to know. "No, that is the point where I tell you that if you screw it, she will kick your ass. That woman can take care of herself."

Translations:  
Hast du mich oder meinen Freund die ganze Zeit angestarrt? – Have you been staring at me or at my friend the whole time?


	5. Chapter 5: Little bird

**Hello and welcome back dear readers!**  
 **Thank you all so much for your support and reading my story!**  
 **Please leave a comment ;)**

 **Disclaimer: AoS still only belongs to Marvel.**

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 **Chapter 5: Little bird**

When May entered the café, Miss Edvardson was already there. Sitting on a small table next to a window, she looked like the stereotypical, averagely intelligent, non-threatening, nice and friendly well-bred daughter. She looked like someone who rather needed protection, not like someone who could help to bring down HYDRA. Alexandra was about May's height with very light blond hair that made her stand out effortlessly. The strands were straight but shiny and full and cut accurately. Her light pink dress would have been girly if she hadn't combined it that well with a white blazer and matching heels. May, wearing fitted black pants, a white blouse and a black leather jacket felt like a cat, ready to attack the tiny canary. It gave her the feeling of being in control but she knew that she had to be careful. If that girl really was that clever, and the evening before had told them she very likely was, May had to be careful with what to say and to do. Their canary could fly away very quickly and she wouldn't, she couldn't, allow that.

As soon as the asset noticed the agent, a wide genuine smile spread over her face. The older woman kept her serene expression but allowed a bit of warmth to creep into her dark eyes. "Miss Edvardson?", she asked while already taking a seat. "A pleasure Agent...", the 20-year-old answered, her voice clearly indicating she wanted to know the other woman's name. "May", she said simply, not bothering to pick a cover identity. Somethow she felt it wouldn't work very well in this case.  
"Agent May, tell me, what can I do for you?"  
"You've heard about HYDRA and their attempt to raise again. Now, we, the remaining agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. want to destroy HYDRA for good. But we are not able to crack a certain code, we need your help as a cryptographer. Would you be interested?"

Before Alexandra could answer, a waiter appeared next to their table. "Was darf ich Ihnen bringen?" May subpressed a groan, did those idiots always have to interrupt?! If the asset was bothered at all, she didn't let it show. "Einen großen Kaffee mit Sahne bitte", Edvardson ordered with a sweet smile. "Für mich bitte einen grünen Tee", May responded, he face guarded as usual. When the waiter had left, Alexandra looked at the agent with curiosity:" Your German is really good." A small, nearly invisible smirk was all the response she got. "So, saying I would agree to join and try to crack the code, how do we proceed from here? Will you just give it to me or do I have to go with you? And if so, where and for how long?"  
"You'll have to come with us, we need to solve it as quickly as possible. It will take as long as you need. We will make sure to cover it up, but naturally we can't fully guarantee for your security or that nothing will change in your life. Payment is negotiable." In all honesty, May enjoyed being able to talk business with Edvardson, getting to the point straight away had always appealed to her. For a second, she felt there was something flickering over Alexandra's face, making her features a bit harder, her emerald eyes turning into a light grey. But it was gone so soon that May wasn't sure whether it had been real or just imagination. While pushing up her glasses, the younger woman thoughtfully bit her lip. She seemed to be debating, not entirely sure what to do. Who could blame her? This was outside the box, even more than working for an excentric billionaire. "Okay", Alexandra simply said, "I'm in. But I need a good alibi for my father which preferably doesn't include S.H.I.E.L.D., HYDRA or danger. I want transport back here. And I want to be payed with intel. Including old World War 2 codings which I know should be in your possesion."  
Silence streched between cat and bird. Then, there was Phil's voice in Melinda's ear. "If you think she is alright, agree to her terms, we can fullfil them without much damage to us. I trust your judgement. Simmons is just constructing her cover, a letter of recruitment by a research facility in the U.S. Edvardson only has to use it." May fixed the girl with one of her signature stares that for some reason didn't seem to bother her at all. She just went on looking at her expectandly, a picture of blond innocence. "Alright, in a few minutes you'll be approved by an American research facility. Then you'll call your father and tell him about it. Tomorrow morning you'll drive to the airport and wait for Hunter - Lance - to pick you up. The rest will be arranged by us. Any questions?" May was surprised when she wasn't confronted by a wave of questions right away, "Is there anything specific I have to bring?", the asset wanted to know then. "Only personal things. But keep it practical!" You never knew what such a spoiled brat would come up with. Maybe thin dresses that would leave her freezing to death... or tons of make-up that would only be in the way in the little bunks. Her phone chimed and she looked at the incoming message:"Okay, the form has come through. Now, call your father."

The young woman frowned at her commanding tone but then dialed a number and started talking animately to somebody. "May, is she doing her job?", Coulson asked over the earpiece. "Yes she is", May confirmed, "and she is a bloody good actress. Could have fooled me." When Edvardson was done, the agent nodded at her. "I have to go. Thank you for the tea." Despite her open rudeness, the asset never lost her pleasant smile. One would have thought they'd just had a friendly chat instead of a job interview for a secret organisation.

Translations:  
Was darf ich Ihnen bringen? - What can I get for you?  
Einen großen Kaffee mit Sahne bitte - A tall coffee with cream please  
Für mich bitte einen grünen Tee - A green tea for me please

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 **More is coming soon!**


	6. Chapter 6: Highway to hell

**After some time, here is the next chapter! Sorry it took me so long.**  
 **It is mainly focussing on Lance's and Xandra's POVs.**

 **Thank you so much for the amazing reviews, sassypants, AmandaLee and blackshadow you brightened up my day!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything only Alexandra**

* * *

 **Chapter 6: Highway to hell**

The next morning, Lance's jaw dropped. He was standing in front of the airport, waiting for Alexandra, when he spotted her in a car. And what a car it was! A beautiful Aston Martin cabrio, jetblack with silver details. It must have cost a fortune, Hunter was sure about that. Then she got out and his jaw dropped even further. Dressed in black pants and a red blouse open over a black silk top, she looked as hot as the night they had first met. The dark sunglasses and lower pumps gave her the air of a movie star. Even though she wasn't as tall as Bobbi or as skinny as May or Skye or Jemma, the agent found her shape appealing. Her hips were rounder but because of broad shoulders and a slim waist she was a perfect "X". Maybe he should not think about the woman in that way, now that things between him and his ex were going a bit smoother. But he was just a man and he could appreciate what he saw, couldn't he?  
"Hey", she just said when she reached him. He smiled back, how could he not if she looked at him so sweetly? "How much luggage do you have?", he wanted to know. "My suitcase is in the car", the girl answered, pointing towards where she had parked. Hunter circled the Aston Martin, openly admiring it. When Alexandra put her suitcase out and grabbed a fancy bigger handback, he looked at her in surprise. "What, no ten additional bag?" "Believe me, my father asked me if I didn't need more things, but I reckon that would have been exaggerated." A smile played around Hunter's lips. "Yeah, you will be thankful when you find out how small the bunks are!" His hope to mildly shock her was disappointed as she just shrugged her shoulders. "Well, are you coming now or not? Lance, I think the code is not decrypting itself!"

As soon as they sat in the S.H.I.E.L.D. SUV, Xandra turned on the radio, flipping through the channels. When she stopped, "Skyfall" was blaring out of the speakers. "Please, turn that off! I hate Adele!", Hunter complained, but the girl just ignored him and hummed to the tune. After a while, he couldn't take it any more. He used the tool on the steering wheel to turn the radio off. Instead of dying, the music went on. It took the man a moment to realize his passenger was singing. She sounded completely different than Adele (he thanked heaven for that) but nevertheless amazing. So amazing that he didn't interrupt her with any snarky comment but listened to her singing about facing the end together. Suddenly Xandra stopped and looked at him, turning crimson red. "Oh gosh I am so sorry! I got kinda carried away." "I could see that", he laughed, "but no worries. You sound amazing. If you don't make it as a scientist you could earn lots of money with that voice. Did you ever take classes?" The woman shook her head. "No, just practiced, did some YouTube tutorials. And I actually performed in musical productions when I was at college. But my father doesn't know, he would have just told me to concentrate on my studies. I had good grades though so it is not his business. Plus I needed it to get my head free." Hunter nodded understanding. "When I have to get my head clear I usually punch things. But that doesn't seem to be your style."

Xandra's laugh sounded like a bell when she heard his comment. "Well no, I don't punch. I either hit or stab." What was that supposed to mean? It sounded like something S.H.I.E.L.D. should know about after all. "Care to explain?" "I play polo, therefore I hit a ball while riding a horse at the same time. My dad wanted me to play golf but I convinced him otherwise. Stabbing refers to me fencing. As a sport of course. Funny enough my father did like this because he as a history professor has a thing for weapons." It wouldn't be boring with her around, the agent knew that already.

Little did he know that the girl herself was a bit embarrssed about being carried away and singing so loudly, that usually didn't happen. It especially shouldn't happen when she was on a top secret mission. After a while, her curiosity won over her fear of rejection. "Lance I have never driven a SUV. Can I drive now?", she asked, giving him her best puppy-eye-look. To her disappointment he shook his head. "Definitely not. It is against protocol and I am not risking my job!" That was annoying, buf thankfully Xandra still had an ace up her sleeve. "I didn't take you as somebody who cares about protocol", she grinned, " besides, if you let me drive this baby here I'll let you drive my Aston Martin." It definitely seemed to do the trick as he wordlessly stopped at the next petrol station. They swapped seats, earning some weird looks from other people. "Buckle up!", Xandra commanded before starting to make Louis Hamilton jealous. She was driving fast, she was changing lanes and she was overtaking probably every second car, making Lance jump in his seat more than once. But well, German motorways didn't have speed limits so why not try out what the SUV could do?!

After a while the navigation system led them off the motorway and to the direction of the little airport where their plane was already waiting. May and Skye both made their way over to greet them when the older woman suddenly frowned. "Hunter?! Are you freaking serious? Letting her drive? That is against protocol and you know that!" Then she looked at the girl, fixing her again with her wild cat stare. Xandra didn't flinch, she just stood there. Inside she was intimidated like crazy but she sure wouldn't show it to her new boss. Suddenly May's lips quirked up a bit. "It must have been hell of a ride if you are already back." Hunter just huffed."You have no idea." However, one look made even him get silent in an instance. "In the plane everybody. Now. Before I consider telling Coulson!"

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 **I know this is a really short chapter but it kind of made sense to stop here. In the next one Xandra will officially join S.H.I.E.L.D**


	7. Chapter 7: Figure it out

**Hello dear Inkdrops, after a long pause I finally got around to continuing this story!**

 **I hope you enjoy it, let me know what you think!  
In this chapter I just assumed Stark junior could fly a plane as his Dad definitely could  
**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel, only Alexandra**

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 **Chapter 7: Figure it out**

Inside, Lance and Alexandra were greeted by a very excited young agent. "This is Skye", May introduced the hacker briskly, "she will brief you on your mission while we are flying. Now buckle up, we are going to take off in a minute."

With unhidden fascination Xandra watched May prepare the plane. She had always loved to fly and especially the perspective out of the cockpit. Thanks to a certain billionaire who had taken her on one of his planes a couple of times and a former sweatheart, she even had a vague idea of how to steer the machine.

"So this is the code. Or rather the mess you have to figure out somehow", Skye interrupted her thoughts.

She handed Edvardson a laptop, keeping her eyes fixed on the asset. In an instant, Alexandra's expression shifted, her eyes deadly serious as she started to skimm the code. This wouldn't be easy, she knew it after the first 30 seconds. But she could do it, that she knew after only 30 seconds more. Without taking her eyes away from the screen, the cryptographer searched for something in her handbag. She was relieved when she found her iPod and a black notebook. Headphones in, she started to write, blending out everything else. When she was coding or decoding, there was no pain, no heartache, no sorrow, just her, the code and the music. It was addictive loosing herself like this, maybe that was why she got along with Stark. For him, his tinkering was the same, an escape from reality.

Alexandra lost track of time, she did not know if hours or only minutes had passed. When her playlist finally ended, she looked up. From what she could see out of the window, they were somewhere over water, no land to be seen. Hunter and Skye were both asleep while May had her eyes fixed on the horizon.  
"How are you getting on?", she asked suddenly.

"Not too bad. I have decrypted the easier part. Now even my brain neeeds a break. You were right, this code is incredibly complex. Do you mind if I join you?", the younger woman asked politely. She halfway expected a rejection but to her surprise May just nodded. When Alexandra slipped into the seat next to her and put on a headset, the Asian turned on the autopilot and turned to face the younger one.

"Okay, so here are the rules. If you want to stay, don't touch the console, keep your hands to yourself. Understood?"

"Yes Ma'am, understood", Edvardson answered, smiling back. She was happy she could keep sitting where she was at the moment, the rest would follow later. Trying to take in as much as she could, the girl watched May's every move, a bit like a bird of prey. After a while, the Asian huffed and rolled her eyes. "Staring is impolite, did your mother not tell you?"

It was unlikely May actually wanted to provoke Xandra, she was much too clever for that. Nevertheless her words hit right where it hurt most. Alexandra couldn't even say why, she had thought she was done with this topic ages ago. Quite obviously it wasn't so.

"No, my mother didn't tell me, probably because she left me as soon as I was born!", the girl spat. Fury made her eyes burn with tears, but she didn't let them fall. To her surprise, a shadow of regret slid over May's face, as if she felt sorry for causing the younger one unnecessary pain. However she did not verbally apologize, she only tilted her head slightly, a curt nod in understanding. Alexandra hardly knew this woman at all, but something told her that this silent acknowledgement was more than most people got from Melinda May. They spent more time in silence, both of them not looking at each other but out of the front window. Even though she was a rather outspoken, talkative person Alexandra could stand silence just well, she was used to it through her father who often failed to take notice of her very presence even when in the same room, too engrossed in his studies. After a couple of minutes, May sighed.

"Alright, I might as well show you as you have probably figured out half of the stuff anyway." Not waiting for a response, the Asian began to desribe the different features in the cockpit and how and when to use them. Alexandra was especially fascinated by cloaking technology, that was something that even Stark's planes did not have. As usual, any useful information (and this might all be very useful one day, who knew) was stored away neatly into a folder in Xandra's brain. She realized that she immensly enjoyed listening to the agent. There was something about May that made the girl pay close attention to her words but she could not quite pinpoint what it she placed questions which where mostly answered, time flew by while they were talking.

Suddenly, there was shuffling in the jet behind them. "We really have to check whether this is May or her Evil Twin. She is definitely talking to much to be her true self", Lance commented, his voice still horse from sleep. The agent rolled her eyes, not gratifying her collegue with an answer, but her lips were quirked slightly upwards and there was a mischivous sparkle in her dark eyes. At the same time, Alexandra sniggered. "Thank you for the lesson Agent May. I will try and go on with the decoding", she commented while handing her headset to Hunter and going back to her former seat. After she had chosen a new playlist, her game of numbers and letters started again until her eyes drifted close and she fell into a deep dreamless sleep.

A hand touched her lightly on the shoulder and Xandra jolted awake. Confused she looked around, blinking, taking in her surrounding. Then, everything came back to her: S.H.I.E.L.D., the code, the plane. Somebody was chuckling lightly and she looked straight at the person who had dared to wake her up. It was Skyeand she did not seem sorry at all, rather amused at Alexandra's slightly pissed off facial expression. Only because she was a light sleeper in new environments and very quickly awake did not mean she particularly enjoyed it!

"Hey, you have soldier reflexes", Hunter remarked, "sure you haven't been in the army before?"

"Yes, I am sure", she confirmed, a slight tinge of sadness in her voice.

"Touchdown in twenty minutes", May announced in that moment, "get everything packed up now!"

The more the airplane sunk, the more excited got the young asset. And also a bit scared. Even though she would never admit that of course. What would wait in that facility for her? But she had lived through such a lot already, how much more damage could another crazy job do?

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 **And that's it for this chapter! Thank you so much for reading!**  
 **Please leave me a review and tell me what you think about the interaction between Xandra and May!**


	8. Chapter 8: Let's get it started

**I know, it took me AGES to upload a new chapter, my apologies!**

 **Thank you for reviewing that really made my day!**  
 **Finally we reach the Playground!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel**

* * *

 **Chapter 8: Let's get it started**

Witnessing a jet being swallowed up by the earth was very impressive, at least that was was Xandra thought. Of course she had seen impressive machinery and "architecture" before, but that was a first for her as well. She was so engrossed in the landing process that she totally forgot to get out until suddenly somebody tapped on her shoulder.

"Hey love, you gotta come", she heard Hunter behind her.

"Oh, sorry!"

She nearly jumped up from her seat, blushing, then she quickly grabbed her luggage and followed the others outside.

"The director will want to speak to you first", May stated, "come with me please. You can unpack later."

Knowing better than to argue, Xandra followed the three agents over the landing strip and through a lot of corridors and doors. The girl was sure she would get lost here all the time, her sense of orientation was simply crappy. After a short while, they came to a stop in front of an open door. Skye knocked anyway, though she did not wait for an answer but simply entered. Even though her inner voice kept telling her that she was being rude, Xandra went along into what must be an office. The man behind the desk looked up and smiled, putting her at ease. Without much ado he got up and walked towards her to shake her hand.

"Miss Edvardson, we are so lucky to have you here, thank you for coming. I hope the flight was alright. What kind of workspace do you need?"

The young woman did not have to think for long.

"Well I need a table, big if possible. Plugs for my computer at some point. As I am working with headphones on most of the time it does not have to be totally silent but maybe no pneumatic hammer nearby would be helpful. Or a shooting range for the matter."

Coulson tilted his head, then he smiled.

"I think that might be arranged. Skye, please show Miss Edvardson to conference room 3 and set her up with everything else she requires. But please give her the tour of Level 1 and 2 first, it will make things easier later on."

When his agent nodded eagerly, Xandra felt a rush of gratefulness flood over her - someone actually was excited about her being at the facilities. And the woman was roughly around her age, somewhere between early and mid twenties.

"Ok, follow me!", the dark-haired announced and turned to go.

Alexandra swiftly followed, she did not want to be left behind by her guide.

"We are at Level 1 at the moment", Skye told her, "you have already seen the boss' office. Here are the toilets and the lounge. If you want to live on, don't touch Mack's playstation. Kitchen is over to the right. Insider information: Simmons' pancakes are a gift from heaven whereas I am pretty sure May can't cook. At least I have never seen her try. Are you a good cook?"

The other girl gave her a dirty look.

"Definitely not! I only went to boarding schools that provided everything so I never really had to. At home we had a cook. However I am a genius in heating up instant meals in microwaves - after I blew up one at first."

When Skye's eyes widened, Alexandra grinned.

"Well, I was ten and hungry because I did not like what our cook had made. My father refused to let me eat anything else. So later, I sneaked out and went to the next supermarket. I bought something and went to the kitchen to silently heat it up. But nobody had ever told me that metal in a microwave is a crappy idea. So yeah... it was not that much of a secret anymore. My father was furious."

Another shadow flickered over her face, then she regained her happy demeanour.

"Anyway, now I know better."

Skye had to laugh.

"Just saying, better don't blow anything up in here. Then anyone will think you are a HYDRA agent and you will be either locked up or shot dead before you can utter your last words. Speaking of it, i have to make sure, are you a HYDRA agent, Edvardson?"

"I don't know yet. I work for you guys now, right? Maybe you ARE HYDRA after all. Then I'd be one. If you are not, then I won't be HYDRA either."

"So if I follow your line of thought, what you are going to be depends on what we are?", Skye reasoned, stopping suddenly. The next moment she had the other young woman pinned against the wall. "This sounds like very loose morale to me."

Edvardson looked surprised but by no means intimidated. She seemed to think about what to answer. Then, quicker than Skye would have thought, she hooked her leg behind the dark haired woman's knee and pulled, sending her flying to the ground. Now their positions were reversed, with Skye below, pressed down by one knee on her chest.

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 **And that's it for today! Yes I know, quite short, but I wanted to stop with a little cliffhanger...**


	9. Chapter 9: A matter of principle

**Thank you for reading!  
I hope you enjoyed the last lu0ttle cliffhanger!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel, only Alexandra**

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 **Chapter 9: A matter of principle**

"You can accuse me of a lot!", Alexandra hissed at the girl lying below her, "but not about being HYDRA. Is that understood?"

Just when Skye wanted to talk back, there were steps to be heard in the corridor. A tall blonde woman came running towards them, already pulling out a gadget that looked incredibly like a gun. Raising her hands in an apologizing gesture, the Swedish stood up, moving a step backwards so the other one could scramble to her feet.

"What is going on here?", the older officer wanted to know.

Alexandra shrugged her shoulders, oddly calm considering a gun was pointed at her head.

"Simply discussing matters of principle. But I think that is settled now."

She shot Skye a knowing look. Then she took some steps towards the other woman who had just slowly put back her weapon and held out her hand.

"I am Alexandra Edvardson, the cryptographer. But you probably now that already."

Slightly taken by surprise, the other one shook the offered hand.

"Agent Morse. I guess Skye is giving you a tour? Then I won't stand in your way."

She even gave the two younger ones a small smile before continuing to wherever she was going.

"Okay Edvardson, let's go on. And please don't ambush me from behind right?", the dark-haired said with a small smile.

"I guess that might be arranged", the other one grinned, "lead the way!"

After a while they stooped in front of a glass door behind which a lot of weird looking equipment could be seen. Also there were a couple of people in white lab coats running around, so this was obviously the research facility.

"I would introduce you to Fitzsimmons, but I think you probably want to get rid of your bags first", Skye stated, motioning towards the other girl's luggage that she still had to carry around.

"Yeah that would be great", Edvardson confirmed, "and then I probably should better get on with that code. Not to be rude, I really would like to meet everyone, but that piece of work is why I am here."

Together they went down to Level 2 and Xandra started to wonder what it must be like to spend so much time underground with only artificial light. Could one get claustrophobic or did one get used to it at some point? Well, depending on how quickly she could work out the code, she would or wouldn't find that out herself, right? Her arms had gotten pretty heavy by then, even though her bag wasn't, but carrying stuff for a longer time wasn't a usual workout she did. Maybe she should change that. Finally, her guide stopped in front of a simple grey door.

"So this is yours", she said smilingly, handing over a keycard.

Inside, everything looked very plain and simple, probably standard S.H.I.E.L.D. issue. There was a bed, a shelf with an integrated desk, a chair, something that looked like a wardrobe concealed in the wall and another door that led to the tiniest bathroom (well, rather toilet and faucet) that Xandra had ever seen. On the desk, there was a simple lock, lying open, ready to be used.

"What is that for?", she wanted to know.

"Oh that!", the dark-haired girl answered, "well that is for your locker outside in the big room further down. There you can keep gear like jackets and duffle bags and extra pairs of shoes and stuff like that, everything that you don't want to keep here. But judging by the size of your luggage, you might not need it! Now come on!"

The blonde dropped her things unceremoniously on the bed, only carrying with her a bag with "office material" as they went down another staircase towards Level 3.

"Further down this corridor are the gym rooms!", Ske announced, "I am pretty sure they would let you use them. Of course some of the conference rooms are also here. There is nothing that considers you in the levels below, only archives and the huge hangar. I doin't think you have clearance to go there."

"I don't think I have clearance for anything here", the other one deadpanned, making the young agent smirk.

"Fair enough. But honestly, you are a consultant, Coulson suggested you and May approved, so I think you could basically get away with everything. Oh - Maybe I should not have said that."

Xandra's laugh was pearly against the grey walls, making her eyes sparkle. If Skye knew… It was true, she had talked herself out of a lot of stuff. Or batted her eyelashed out of it. Or threatened and blackmailed her way out of it. Though she was not really sure if that would work in this case, so she probably should behave. Also, defeating HYDRA was a priority at the moment.  
The door to Conference Room 3 was open, the room inside as uninspiring as all the others Xandra had seen so far. Together the young women set up her laptop and the pile of notebooks, spare paper, pens and erasers she would need before the blonde politely but decidedly ordered the slightly older woman out of the room.  
Armoured with her music, she began to work again, it was tedious but at least she felt as if she was making some progress. Step by step, things seemed to fall into place, but she had to leave it to whoever had constructed that code - they knew how to keep her busy!  
Without windows, she lost all sense of time, but as her playlist had come to an end again, approximately three hours must have past. To give her eyes a little break, she closed them, resting her arms and her head on the table. The coldness of the surface felt so nice on her heated up face and her body told her that she could really go to bed now. Must have something to do with the jetlag. However when the door handle was pressed down her head shot up, all tiredness forgotten. Coulson was standing in the doorway, giving her a funny look.

"I am sorry Sir, I needed a break", she explained politely, hoping that he would understand.

He gave her a small smile, stepping forward and closing the door behind him. Then he moved over and pulled out another chair to sit face to face with the cryptographer.

"Totally understandable, but that is not why I am here. Well, it is partly. I hope the decoding is working?"

She nodded, finally understanding where this was going. Then her eyes quickly darted over to the far corner of the room and she raised an eyebrow in question. He seemed to understand though, because his smile got only broader.

"I see, you are considering everything. No, the security camera is damaged, happened a couple of days ago and it hasn't been fixed. So we can talk openly. Now, as you have found out, I am still alive. Curtesy to Fury I must say. Hill knows. The Avengers don't. And that should stay this way. We operate out of the shadows, we are the shadows.. So it is important that you keep this under wraps. Romanoff is probably the only one who would understand. So even íf you see them, especially don't mention it to Stark and Rogers. That said, I have seen your work on Theta Protocol, your mathematical achievements are remarkable."

Alexandra blushed under his praise.

"Thank you", she answered, "I didn't know you were involved too though. Actually I didn't know you were alive, Fury was good at keeping that from me."

Coulson sighed, it sounded a bit exasperated and a bit resignated.

"That's what he does, keeping secrets. But you were good at acting indifferent, earlier in my office. Whatever acting course you did, it payed out. Now, you mentioned you wanted to be paid in intel and something about codes, so I guess you already know which ones. Do you have a list?"

Of course she did, prepared as always the young woman pulled out a sheet of paper where several bullet points were written down on. She handed it over, keeping her eyes fixed on the director. While he was reading, his eyebrows rose higher and higher.

"Well, I can help you with some of the points and I understand your interest in some, like the old codes. But there are some documents I can't pass on to you, like the trekking records of the Winter Soldier. This is too classified, even for someone like you."

It was clear to see that the woman was not happy at all and she knew she had several options - she could take what she could get and leave the rest, she could try to blackmail Coulson or she could keep on try to make a deal. The third option was probably the most promising one though, so the cryptographer decided to go with it.

"Alright, but then I want at least the last place where Barnes was seen by your people", she said, her voice firm, keeping eye contact.

After more than a minute of silence and an unnerving staring match, the director finally sighed.

"Alright, but only the last known location. And I want to know - Why? Why do you care?"

Alexandra's eyes became sad, an expression not a lot of people ever witnessed. She always seemed to be such an open, bubbly and happy person. That was true, at least partly. Xandra was all that and she was friendly and usually kind, but she also generally kept all pain and sadness to herself. It was simply that most people didn't realize that.

"It's not for me", she simply replied.

The implication hung heavy in between the two of them, Xandra was praying the director would understand. Them he nodded and gave her a kind understanding smile before getting up and leaving her to the empty grey room.

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 **Thank you for reading!I**


	10. Chapter 10: Spaghetti a la Simmons

**Thank you all so much for staying with me on this story!**

 **As far as I know, they never really mention how they organise meals in the agency, so I made something up.**

 **Disclaimer: I only own Alexandra, not Marvel. Though I would love to, really...**

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 **Chapter 10: Spaghetti a la Simmons**

In the grey room, only the opening of the door ripped Alexandra out of her thoughts again. Hunter was standing in the doorway, giving her an unexpectedly kind smile.

"Dinner is ready," he announced, "I was sent to get you."

The young woman frowned.

"Wait what? Dinner? How much time has passed?"

"Enough. You should be hungry, actually. At least I would be if I were you."

Now as he mentioned it, Xandra cloud indeed feel her stomach growling. After carefully closing her notebooks, she left them with the rest of her equipment to follow the man upstairs again.

"I hope you are not too picky," he remarked, "we don't have cooks or anything. We all cook for ourselves when we have dinner at different times because of assignments or training. But usually a couple of agents eat together. So today Simmons decided to prepare the meal. I think we will have Spaghetti Bolognese ."

Alexandra's eyes widened in horror.

"But - with your research you definitely did about me, didn't you find out I am a gluten and lactose intolerant vegan?"

"Nope?!" he offered and sighed loudly, pretending to bang his head against the brick wall next to him.

When he turned back towards his younger companion, she really did have a hard time suppressing a giggle. Hunter was simply adorable - in her opinion. She knew that a lot of people would disagree, but the woman had caught a immediate liking to his snarkiness and loose mouth. Now however, his brows furrowed.

"What's so funny?" he wanted to know.

"That you actually believed the crap I just told you!" she laughed merrily, not at all fazed when he checked her in the ribs with his elbow.

"I have no allergies, but I don't like zucchini or green beans or green capsicum or green apples. Or lamb for the matter, which is kind of a problem in high society."

"What is your problem with green stuff then?" Hunter asked while they were still walking.

"Green is dangerous. It could eat me!" she joked, "I like cucumber though and peas."

By now, they could already smell the delicious aroma of pasta and the woman sighed happily. Now they could also here the chatter of many voices, both male and female. Alexandra registered the calm, borderline cold tone that she already associated with May, Skye's lighter chatter and Coulson's thoughtful answers. Then there was another voice which, after a moment, she realized must be Agent Morse who she had met earlier. The agents turned towards the couple when they entered, Xandra's focus was especially captured by the ones she hadn't seen before: A woman, probably only a few years older than herself who was currently stirring the sauce and a bulky dark-skinned man who would probably make a street gang back off.

"Edvardson, this is Mack," Skye called out when she saw the new arrivals and pointed towards the tall man who gave her a surprisingly charming smile.

"Nice to meet you!" the blonde Swedish woman responded equally pleasantly.

Then she stepped besides the cook who was also eyeing her curiously.

"Simmons, I suppose?" she asked, "this smells great!"

"Oh I hope you will like it. Could you maybe pour off the spaghetti?"

"Yea sure," Xandra responded, grapping the pot and carrying it over to the sink.

When the hot water got out, it steamed so heavily that she couldn't see for a moment. Her glasses were totally covered, making Hunter laugh.

"You look funny. Maybe geht some wipers?" Hunter asked cheekily.

It was really hard to keep her dignity and not stick her tongue out if the young woman was honest. So she settled for rolling her eyes and waiting until the "fog" in front of her eyes had cleared. Then she put the pot back on the stove, happy to have the weight off her arm. She really had to do something about her muscles! Skye put a stack of plates next to her so she and the British cook could dish up and hand the plates out to the team. She found herself sitting at the table in between Skye and another young man who had just appeared and introduced himself as Fitz.

Attentive as always, the woman noticed straight away that there was something unusual about him. Besides his apparent discomfort about a) being around a new person and b) being around Simmons, he seemed to be lost for words quite often. Skye had mentioned that he was a scientist, but Xandra didn't think that this awkwardness had something to do with his special talents, autism or something like that. It was rather as if someone had hit him on the head. Too hard.

However, as the rest of the group chatted away about various topics - from grocery shopping to ammunition shipping - she finally managed to gently coax him into a conversation about new weapons he was working on. When he apologized ed himself for talking too clumsily, she just shook her head, frowning.

"Don't you dare apologizing Fitz! I have worked with Stark who doesn't even breathe when talking and I tell you, it didn't make it easier for me to comprehend things."

She gave him a rueful half-smile.

"I might be smart on a theoretical basis but I am horrible when it comes to technical creativity. One has to explain it to me, then I understand, but Tony just didn't get that in his head!"

Slightly at ease, Fitz continued with his explanation. From time to time she supplied a couple of words and as a scientist she understood his frustration with not being able to express what wanted to say. Therefore she didn't really mind when he snapped at her, to his apparent surprise.

When they had all finished eating and put away the dishes into the dishwasher, the consultant was just about to ask for the way back to the conference room, when suddenly Fitz spoke up.

"Uhm, Edvardson, would you like to... like to have a look around in the lab?" he wanted to know.

The woman would have agreed right away but didn't know whether that was appropriate, after all she had been ordered to do a different job.

"You go and do that," May spoke up, who had overheard the conversation.

Even though her tone was neutral and firm, Xandra could see somw hope in her eyes. She understood it was for the young Scot next to her.

"Okay Fitz, lead the way!" she said, smiling brightly, "oh, and please don't call me Edvardson. I don't particularly like that."

* * *

 **Thank you so much for reading guys!**


	11. Chapter 11: New people

**Dear Inkdrops, here chapter 11. Please let me know what you think!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own AOS**

* * *

 **Chapter 11: New people**

The S.H.I.E.L.D. lab was...well, it was a lab which was currently empty besides herself and Fitz. Concerning the size, it was nothing compared to Stark's workshop or Dr. Banner's lab at the tower, but it was definitely equipped with every piece of high tech that Xandra could imagine. Fascinating and intimidating at the same time for a mind like hers, who would have loved to analyse every little part of what she could see, but was nearly overwhelmed by the sheer amount of it. Fitz took something that looked like a prototype of a sidearm off a table and handed it over to the young woman.

"This is a new version of the.. ahhh..the ICER. It is a.. it is a gun, but it doesn't kill."

With a confidence that testified a lot of practice, Xandra took the gun and cocked the trigger, obviously without pulling it.

"Beautifully balanced!" she exclaimed, "this is wonderful work!"

The man looked a bit flustered, but pleased nevertheless.

"Yes, thank you. This is one of my...projects."

"So do you have others?" she asked him curiously, but he just shrugged.

"I am kind of stuck. Not moving, dead end... the ideas are not working."

When he started to turn away from her, the Swedish held him gently back by the arm. She couldn't bear seeing this brilliant young man so disheartened, not when she was sure that he was wrong about himself. That was what her gut feeling told her about him, even after such a short period of acquaintance.

"Listen, I think they will. You just need some time. And maybe a little pet project? Something you are just doing for you, for nobody else."

Instead of turning away completely, FItz seemed to open up a little.

"What do you have in mind?"

"Well, I don't know, you are the engineer super-brain here."

"I was," he argued bitterly, "now that brain is only mushy rubbish."

"That's not true!" Alexandra replied, but suddenly sounding totally different. Her voice was firm, commanding, not leaving room for any discussion. It made him look up wide-eyed, apparently nobody in S.H.I.E.L.D. had dared to talk to him like that after whatever had happened to him, all afraid he might shut them out completely. Xandra didn't have to those fears, she just met his with her very blue eyes, locking them, not letting him look away.

"You listen to me Fitz," she began, "no matter what happened and what there was before, now it is different and you have to deal with it. That's it. That's the hard truth. It will get easier, it will get better, but until then, you have to keep your head up and kick ass anyway. Do you hear me?"

When he nodded, thunderstruck, she went on.

"Those people here, they love you and they are not giving up on you. But they also have to adapt and you have to let them do that. Without being angry. Because they are only human as well. And you know what? I think the two of us would make a great team for the time being, so when I have cracked the fucking code, I will come here and we start building something, deal?"

A small smile started to play around the man's lips.

"You mean it?"

"Hell yes, sure I do. Pinky promise."

For the first time since they had met, Fitz broke out in real laughter.

"Who is still using pinky promise?"

Walking back towards the entrance door, looking over her shoulder, Edvardson smiled back at him.

"I am, obviously!"

Outside, she was basically running into Hunter who picked up on her great mood right away.

"What makes you beam like that Love?" he wanted to know.

"Oh, Fitz just showed me around the lab and we talked. It's pretty cool. And I promised to help him with a project," she answered excitedly.

"Oh my goodness," Hunter faked horror, "that means I will have to put up with you even longer. How will I bear it? Does Coulson know?"

The short woman playfully elbowed him in the stomach. She wouldn't let such an answer go by unpunished, at least not from Hunter.

"You are already head over heels for me Douchebag, and you very well know it. And no, the boss man doesn't know. But May made me go with Fitz in the first place, so I guess she will be on my side with this one."

The older man eyed her wistfully.

"May likes you. Try to stay in her good graces. Then you will live longer. She hates me however and I am fearing every night that I will wake up with a slit throat."

"Thanks, I'll try and remember it. But may I point out, yes that pun was intended, that if May slit your throat you wouldn't wake up at all. And what the hell did you do to her?"

"He shot her!" an amused voice said from behind the two, making them turn around. A young, attractive dark skinned man was grinning like the cat who had just eaten the canary. Xandra hadn't seen him before, he must have just gotten back from a mission or something.

"So you are little Peggy Carter 2.0," he stated merrily, making her frown.

That didn't sound well, if he started off with this comparison. She tried to keep her body language as neutral as possible, not to let too much uneasiness flood through it.

"What do you mean by that?" the scientist asked hoping it didn't sound snappy.

"Codebreaker. Smart. Sounding British and posh from what I have heard," the new guy explained, "also worked with a Stark dude. Now part of S.H.I.E L.D. Do you want me to go on?"

The tension in her shoulders dissolved and she started to genuinely laugh at the statement. Okay, so he had let her off the hook easily.

"I take that as a compliment then. Now, I have to go back to code breaking I guess. What's your name anyway?"

He shook the hand she offered him.

"It's Trip."

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 **Thank you for reading!**


	12. Chapter 12: Blackout

**Here comes chapter 12 - at last. I know it has taken some time but all my other stories have been keeping me busy. I hope you enjoy the chapter, I definitely had fun writing it (once I finally had come up with the idea)...**

 **Trigger Warning: Mentioning of a panic attack.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel.**

* * *

 **Chapter 12: Blackout**

"Nice to meet you Trip," the woman answered, "I'm Alexandra Edvardson, obviously, but please call me Xandra."

"Will do," Trip smiled, "I'll let you get back to work then."

He walked off in the direction of the kitchen while Hunter and Xandra made their way to the conference room which the man opened with a code. The Swedish was again taken aback by the room. It was so bare and grey, but thankfully well-lit and spacious.

"Okay, here we are. Do you think you can crack it today?" Hunter asked curiously.

"Don't know. Maybe. Maybe not," she shrugged her shoulders.

"Someone, probably me, will check on you in a couple of hours, just to make sure you are okay. And still awake."

"Very much appreciated, see you then," Xandra smiled.

As soon as he had left, her work continued, it was indeed tedious. Trying and testing simply took so much time and there was still no system in sight. Yet. She felt as if she had never been so clueless in all her life (though that was probably not true, she had already figured out several parts, but some were still missing). At one point, she was even starting to pace restlessly through the room like a tiger in a cage, just to run back to the table when she had an idea. The idea proved out to be useless however and soon she was back to pacing. Her health-app reported that her daily number of steps had been reached when she finally sat down, staring at all the puzzle pieces she already had. Another one came to her mind and then on more before she was stuck again. Just when she had started pacing again, suddenly the lights went out.

From one moment to the other, it was dark. No emergency lights went on, only black nothingness around her. Taking deep breaths, Xandra tried to calm her racing heartbeat and to come up with a masterplan. She knew her phone was on the table, at the other end of the room. She could walk over there and somehow find it and turn on the flashlight. Or she could just open the door and get outside. Yes, that sounded a lot more appealing, especially as the darkness seemed to grow colder and colder around her. Her gut feeling told her where the door must be and after a couple of hesistant steps, she actually touched the wall with her hands. A few feet further to the right, there was the door handle, good, now she only had to push it down and pull and - Nothing happened. The still rational part of her brain argued that the power had probably been cut off and as the pin pad at the door was apparently connected to the same circuit, it was locked now. The irrational part of her brain was becoming bigger by every moment, making it harder and harder to stay calm.

"Hello? Hello, I am stuck here! Please open the door!" she shouted and banged against the door, hoping that someone, anyone, would hear her and get her out.

Nothing happened. After a couple of moments, she tried again, even louder, baging against the door until her hands hurt. The darkness started to choke her, light, she needed light! Slowly, step by step, she walked over to her laptop and found it dark. Of course, it had run out of battery so she had plugged it in to charge - which didn't work without power. Fortunately her phone gave her a little relief, turning on the flashlight scared away the dark tendrils that had wrapped around her chest. There was no reception on her phone down here, no way to contact and they hadn't given her the WiFi-password either, probably scared of a possible virus getting into the system. She could only wait and hope they would realize soon what had happen, surely they had programme to alarm them in case the power went out, right?

Xandra started hitting the door again, but after five minutes and no reply, she decided to better save her voice and try again later. Probably it would have been best to turn out the flashlight, but each time she tried, the panic came back, making her turn it on quickly. After a while, she stood up to call out again for somebody, anybody, to hear her. But nothing. There was only her and the darkness and the phone with a battery that ran lower very quickly.

10% battery - she banged against the door again, frantically, desperately.

8% battery - she started to scream, not only for attention anymore but also because panic was getting a grip on her, holding her in cold arms that seemed tighten more and more.

6% battery - was there someone? For a short glorious moment, the young woman had the feeling that there were voices out there, her soul suddenly felt light as a feather. She even held her breath, waiting for the tiniest of sounds - but nothing came.

3% battery - a sob came out of her throat, an ugly raw sound, unladylike as she seldomly was. The flashlight had gone out and now the display was the only source of light in the darkness. She felt it inside too, it was dark and full of terror in her soul.

0% battery - when after a time Xandra didn't care to measure, the light finally died, she made herself as small as possible. Sitting next to the door with the back against the wall, she pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Her throat hurt from calling and screaming and crying, but the water bottle she had fetched herself in a brave moment while her phone had still worked was now empty next to her. She was shaking and couldn't seem to calm down as much as she tried to make calm and deep breaths.

Suddenly, there were scratching noises at the door and somebody pushed it open. Light filtered into the dark conference room, so sudden that Xandra had to close her eyes in response. When she opened them again, somebody was sitting down next to her.

"Come on, let's get out of here," a somehow familiar voice told her, concern evident in her voice when Xandra wouldn't react.

Everything was like a daze until she felt somebody slide down next to her and wrap an arm around her shoulders. Sobs broke loose again but the person whoever she was simply held her and let her cry. Distantly Xandra heard her whispering things she didn't understand fully but that somehow sounded soothing and helped her to finally calm down.

When she glanced up again, May looked at her in utter concern. Then she stood up in one fluid motion, holding out a hand to pull the other one up. Still a bit shakily, the cryptographer took it and let herself being led into the corridor, finally into the light.

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 **Thank you for reading! Sorry, I couldn't keep myself from entering this teeny tiny Game of thrones reference.**


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